Postcards from Seattle's Past: 1901-1920

October 10, 2001 10:00 PM

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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Hockey, 1919: The Seattle Metropolitans hosted Montreal in an attempt to regain the Stanley Cup, which they first won in 1917 – the city’s first “world championship.” Seattle led two games to one in 1919 when the flu epidemic struck, forcing the tournament’s end. less

Hockey, 1919: The Seattle Metropolitans hosted Montreal in an attempt to regain the Stanley Cup, which they first won in 1917 – the city’s first “world championship.” Seattle led two games to one in ... more

Green Lake attracts development, 1913: Swamplands around Green Lake were filled during the first decades of the 20th century as the neighborhood, at the end of the city’s streetcar lines, grew into one of Seattle’s first “suburbs.” This view looks across the lake to the southeast from the vicinity of Wallingford Avenue. less

Green Lake attracts development, 1913: Swamplands around Green Lake were filled during the first decades of the 20th century as the neighborhood, at the end of the city’s streetcar lines, grew into one of ... more

Delivering the mail, 1919: With the economic fortunes of the Boeing Airplane Co. teetering because of the loss of military contracts, William Boeing, right, and test pilot Eddie Hubbard made the first international mail flight from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C, in March 1919. The men are on a ramp on Lake Union next to a Model C seaplane, with Boeing holding the mail. less

Delivering the mail, 1919: With the economic fortunes of the Boeing Airplane Co. teetering because of the loss of military contracts, William Boeing, right, and test pilot Eddie Hubbard made the first ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Delivering the mail, 1919: With the economic fortunes of the Boeing... Photo-652537.3598 - seattlepi.com

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Seattle general strike, 1919: A crowd mills about the entrance of the Skinner and Eddy Shipbuilding Corp. on the central waterfront during what is acknowledged as the nation’s first citywide general strike. It paralyzed the city for five days, beginning in the shipyards in January 1919 but spreading on Feb. 6, when 65,000 workers around the city walked off their jobs. less

Seattle general strike, 1919: A crowd mills about the entrance of the Skinner and Eddy Shipbuilding Corp. on the central waterfront during what is acknowledged as the nation’s first citywide general strike. ... more

Mayor Ole Hanson, 1919: As a general strike threatened to cripple Seattle in 1919, Mayor Ole Hanson, driven by a fear of socialism and the city’s newspapers, spoke out loudly against the walkout. The mayor warned that if the strike did not end immediately the city would take over essential services. Hanson was able to claim credit for ending the strike and later went on the national lecture circuit as an expert on crushing “Red” revolutions. less

Mayor Ole Hanson, 1919: As a general strike threatened to cripple Seattle in 1919, Mayor Ole Hanson, driven by a fear of socialism and the city’s newspapers, spoke out loudly against the walkout. The mayor ... more

Colman Dock, 1916: Colman Dock was built by James Colman in 1882. It became the terminal for the Mosquito Fleet, the small steamers shown here that once were Puget Sound’s major transportation link. The dock burned in the Seattle fire of 1889 but was soon rebuilt and turned into a thriving departure point for travelers headed for the Alaska gold rush. less

Colman Dock, 1916: Colman Dock was built by James Colman in 1882. It became the terminal for the Mosquito Fleet, the small steamers shown here that once were Puget Sound’s major transportation link. The dock ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Colman Dock, 1916: Colman Dock was built by James Colman in 1882.... Photo-652561.3598 - seattlepi.com

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Road to Fremont, 1915: A wooden trestle once crossed the slough that was to become the Lake Washington Ship Canal. Shown here in a view from Fulton Street and Dexter Avenue North, the trestle was replaced with the new Fremont Bridge in 1917. The old Stone Way Bridge five blocks to the east was then eliminated. less

Road to Fremont, 1915: A wooden trestle once crossed the slough that was to become the Lake Washington Ship Canal. Shown here in a view from Fulton Street and Dexter Avenue North, the trestle was replaced with ... more

West Seattle Bridge, 1914: Motorists and streetcar riders traveling between West Seattle and Seattle in 1914 crossed this wooden-plank version of the West Seattle Bridge, located north of the current structure in the vicinity of Harbor Island. less

West Seattle Bridge, 1914: Motorists and streetcar riders traveling between West Seattle and Seattle in 1914 crossed this wooden-plank version of the West Seattle Bridge, located north of the current structure ... more

Lake Washington Canal Locks, 1913: Work on the Lake Washington Ship cCanal, which eventually connected the lake with Puget Sound, began in November 1911. One of the largest parts of the project was the locks, shown here. The project was finished in 1917. less

Lake Washington Canal Locks, 1913: Work on the Lake Washington Ship cCanal, which eventually connected the lake with Puget Sound, began in November 1911. One of the largest parts of the project was the locks, ... more

Greenwood district neighborhood, 1920: A mother and her son wait for the Interurban streetcar at North 85th Street and Greenwood Avenue North in 1910. At that time, Interurban service linked the farthest northern reaches of the city with Ballard and other streetcar lines to the south. North 85th Street served as a the longtime north city limit boundary until annexations.Street served as a the longtime north city limit boundary until annexations. less

Greenwood district neighborhood, 1920: A mother and her son wait for the Interurban streetcar at North 85th Street and Greenwood Avenue North in 1910. At that time, Interurban service linked the farthest ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Greenwood district neighborhood, 1920: A mother and her son wait... Photo-652577.3598 - seattlepi.com

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Women seek the vote, 1910: Members of the Washington Equal Suffrage Association paste up posters, seeking passage of a 1910 measure granting them the right to vote. Male voters passed the measure, making Washington the fifth state in the nation to grant women suffrage. Washington women first won the right to vote in 1883, but lost it in 1888. less

Women seek the vote, 1910: Members of the Washington Equal Suffrage Association paste up posters, seeking passage of a 1910 measure granting them the right to vote. Male voters passed the measure, making ... more

Coney Island of the West, 1910: Luna Park, built on a pier along Duwamish Head in 1907, was crowded with rides, amusements, an indoor swimming pool and a bar. The attraction faded under the watchful eye of the city’s moralists and the park closed in 1913. less

Coney Island of the West, 1910: Luna Park, built on a pier along Duwamish Head in 1907, was crowded with rides, amusements, an indoor swimming pool and a bar. The attraction faded under the watchful eye of the ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Coney Island of the West, 1910: Luna Park, built on a pier along... Photo-652587.3598 - seattlepi.com

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World’s fair at UW, 1909: Seattle’s first world’s fair, the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, was staged on the University of Washington campus to commemorate the city’s growth since the Klondike Gold Rush. This postcard shows many of the elaborate buildings, seen across Geyser Basin, which later became known as Frosh Pond. A new geyser, Drumheller Fountain, was donated for the university’s centennial celebration in 1961. less

World’s fair at UW, 1909: Seattle’s first world’s fair, the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, was staged on the University of Washington campus to commemorate the city’s growth since the Klondike ... more

The wonders of Washington, 1909: Elaborate buildings and an elegant midway were built for the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition in 1909. The Manufacturers Building, pictured above, was part of Washington Circle, a group of exhibition buildings showing visitors the many wonders of Washington state. The midway featured the highest Ferris wheel in the world. less

The wonders of Washington, 1909: Elaborate buildings and an elegant midway were built for the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition in 1909. The Manufacturers Building, pictured above, was part of Washington Circle, ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The wonders of Washington, 1909: Elaborate buildings and an elegant... Photo-652598.3598 - seattlepi.com

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Denny Regrade, 1908: Denny Hill was a steep and inconvenient bump on the north side of downtown Seattle until it was flattened nearly a century ago by city engineers. Some property owners, including those who owned the homes in this photo at the foot of Blanchard Street, delayed selling out as the city sluiced around them. At times houses were left on their own individual pedestals, with ladders as the only means of access. less

Denny Regrade, 1908: Denny Hill was a steep and inconvenient bump on the north side of downtown Seattle until it was flattened nearly a century ago by city engineers. Some property owners, including those who ... more

The Washington Hotel, 1906: From 1890 until 1906, the Washington Hotel stood on Third Avenue between Stewart and Virginia streets on the south summit of Denny Hill before it was leveled to make room for a growing city. Built as the Denny Hotel soon after the Seattle Fire, the hotel brought Victorian elegance to the city but eventually gave way to progress. less

The Washington Hotel, 1906: From 1890 until 1906, the Washington Hotel stood on Third Avenue between Stewart and Virginia streets on the south summit of Denny Hill before it was leveled to make room for a ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The Washington Hotel, 1906: From 1890 until 1906, the Washington... Photo-652608.3598 - seattlepi.com

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Cowen Park, 1907: Adjacent to Ravenna Park and 15th Avenue Northeast, Cowen Park was donated to the city in 1906 by developer Charles Cowen, who supplied the wooden arch gateway and a drinking fountain. Early housing developments such as those north of the University of Washington along 15th were serviced by a web of streetcar lines. less

Cowen Park, 1907: Adjacent to Ravenna Park and 15th Avenue Northeast, Cowen Park was donated to the city in 1906 by developer Charles Cowen, who supplied the wooden arch gateway and a drinking fountain. Early ... more

Cathedral rises, circa 1907: The towers of St. James Cathedral, shown here under construction, have graced the downtown for nearly a century. Plans for the cathedral, to be built in the Italian Renaissance style, were first announced in the late 1890s. The cathedral was dedicated in 1907 less

Cathedral rises, circa 1907: The towers of St. James Cathedral, shown here under construction, have graced the downtown for nearly a century. Plans for the cathedral, to be built in the Italian Renaissance ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Cathedral rises, circa 1907: The towers of St. James Cathedral,... Photo-652616.3598 - seattlepi.com

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Looking south from Denny Hill, 1903: After the Seattle fire of 1889 that destroyed much of downtown, the economic boost brought by the Alaska Gold Rush helped the city quickly rebuild. As a result the surrounding neighborhoods also grew quickly, and Seattle reached a population of 80,671 in 1900. This view of the city looking south was made in 1903 from the edge of Denny Hill. The intersection in the immediate foreground is Third Avenue and Pine Street. less

Looking south from Denny Hill, 1903: After the Seattle fire of 1889 that destroyed much of downtown, the economic boost brought by the Alaska Gold Rush helped the city quickly rebuild. As a result the ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Looking south from Denny Hill, 1903: After the Seattle fire of 1889... Photo-652621.3598 - seattlepi.com

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On the way to market, circa 1900: Before the Pike Place Market opened, farmers and shoppers traded along Western Avenue, seen in the distance. Demand for space soared as small farms, often tended by immigrants, spread through Rainier Valley and river valleys south and east of Seattle. The Market Arcade opened in 1907, followed by the Sanitary Market in 1910. less

On the way to market, circa 1900: Before the Pike Place Market opened, farmers and shoppers traded along Western Avenue, seen in the distance. Demand for space soared as small farms, often tended by immigrants, ... more

Photo: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

On the way to market, circa 1900: Before the Pike Place Market... Photo-652627.3598 - seattlepi.com

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Queen Anne Counterbalance, 1902: Looking north from Mercer Street, trolley tracks run up the face of Queen Anne Hill. The earliest trolleys that climbed the hill were aided by a counterweight that traveled in a tunnel under the street. Buses replaced trolleys in 1940. less

Queen Anne Counterbalance, 1902: Looking north from Mercer Street, trolley tracks run up the face of Queen Anne Hill. The earliest trolleys that climbed the hill were aided by a counterweight that traveled in a ... more

Seattle’s backside, 1890s: A shack sits on the mudflats along Seattle’s waterfront in the 1890s roughly in the area of Third and Fourth avenues south. The city’s downtown area was a large land-reclamation project, with hills reduced and vast mudflats filled in. Buildings have been raised to their new level awaiting fill from the hills to the east. less

Seattle’s backside, 1890s: A shack sits on the mudflats along Seattle’s waterfront in the 1890s roughly in the area of Third and Fourth avenues south. The city’s downtown area was a large land-reclamation ... more

Green Lake attracts development, 1913: Swamplands around Green Lake were filled during the first decades of the 20th century as the neighborhood, at the end of the city’s streetcar lines, grew into one of Seattle’s first “suburbs.” This view looks across the lake to the southeast from the vicinity of Wallingford Avenue. less

Green Lake attracts development, 1913: Swamplands around Green Lake were filled during the first decades of the 20th century as the neighborhood, at the end of the city’s streetcar lines, grew into one of ... more